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Fashion can be exciting, transformative, communicative and, most importantly, fun, but there are some aspects of the pursuit of fashion trends that, over time, could damage our bodies and overall wellbeing. Unfortunately, bad habits come easy but are hard to break, particularly so when the attitudes and actions one adopts are for the sake of looking trendy.

Here are a few habits that might be doing more harm than good, which you may want to consider dropping to protect your body without the danger of cramping your style:

Adopting a “YOLO” mentality:
“YOLO” is an acronym for the phrase, “you only live once.” This motto can lead to tons of impulsive and destructive behaviours; from unhealthy eating habits to splurging on a designer bag that’s way beyond your budget. While it’s true that we only live once and we deserve to enjoy life, your best bet is to make choices that benefit your body, mind and wallet in the long-run.

Extreme dieting:
Seriously restricting your food intake for the sake of looking “fashion skinny” can ultimately slow down your metabolism, which can cause weight gain down the road, according to Torres. It doesn’t help that fasting can cause you to overeat when you do dig in.

Wearing high heels:
Though teetering on high heels may boost a woman’s confidence, it can be a serious hazard and discomfort and is considered one of the worst things you can do for your body alignment. It’s not just your feet that suffer when you put on pumps, wearing high heels for an extended time has also been linked to a number of other health issues, including lower back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee. In line with Will Torres, a health and fitness expert and owner of Willspace, a private training studio in New York City, walking on the balls of your feet forces your body parts to lean forward, simultaneously forcing you to straighten out by leaning back. This puts plenty of stress on the spine and compresses its discs over time. However, such injury is cumulative; it can take weeks, months or years of altered movement to feel the effects, which come in the form of cramping in the toes and calves and pain in the back and hips.

To avoid this try lower heels, they are available everywhere and are really cute.

Getting a gel manicure:
This nail polish may last longer, but the side effects aren’t worth it. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, ultraviolet-emitting devices used in the process are carcinogenic to humans and, although the skin cancer risk associated with nail lamps is low, it’s still there. If you can’t resist, apply sunscreen to your hands before your gel manicure.

Lugging around giant bags:
The bigger the bag, the more things you can put in it. And because, as Torres points out, you probably carry your purse on one side, the uneven weight distribution can cause muscle imbalances (like one shoulder being more developed than the other) and a slew of alignment issues (like one shoulder sitting higher than the other). Also heavy bags can cause neck, shoulder and spine pain when your torso shifts to deal with the uneven weight.

To avoid this, give your body a break and carry a small, light bag a couple of days a week that’s free of extraneous objects.